German Oktoberfest
This is an amber lager, medium-bodied with a distinct malty taste and hop flavor. This recipe incorporates the combination method of brewing. This recipe will make 5 gallons of beer. Remember to always thoroughly sanitize all pieces of equipment and bottles prior to brewing and bottling.
IBUs: 22-25
ABV: 5.25%-5.75%
OG: 1.052-1.056
FG: 1.013-1.016
Color: Amber
ABV: 5.25%-5.75%
OG: 1.052-1.056
FG: 1.013-1.016
Color: Amber
Equipment:
- Heat source
- 5 gallon brew pot
- 6.5 gallon fermenting bucket
- Airlock
- Long spoon or Paddle
- Hydrometer
- Thermometer
- No-rinse sanitizer
- Cleanser
- 6.5 gallon bottling bucket
- Siphon
- Bottle filling wand
- 48 dark glass beer bottles (2 cases)
- Caps
- Capper
Ingredients:
- 6.6 lbs Munich LME (liquid malt extract)
- 1 lb Amber DME (dry malt extract)
- 8 oz Caramel 60L
- 4 oz Caramel 20L
- 1 oz GR Tettnang hops
- 1 oz GR Hallertau hops
- 1 sachet Nottingham dry yeast
Procedure
Steep Grains
- Pour crushed grains into grain bag and tie a loose knot at the top of the bag.
- In your brew pot, heat 2.5 gallons of clean tap water to 150-165 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure not to exceed 170 degrees.
- Place the grain bag into the water and steep for approximately 20 minutes.
- Remove the grain bag and allow all liquid to drain out and back into the brew pot, but do not squeeze the bag.
Boil
- Bring wort to a gentle, rolling boil.
- Add all of the LME, DME and Maltodextrin to the boiling wort.
- Continuously stir the mixture to dissolve all of the malt extract and avoid caramelizing on the bottom of the brew pot. Bring wort back to a gentle, rolling boil.
- Add 1 oz of GR Tettnang hops.
- After 40 minutes of boiling, add 1 oz of GR Hallertau hops.
- Boil for 20 more minutes then terminate the boil.
Cool Wort & Transfer
- Refer to the General Process section for guidance on methods of cooling.
- Cool wort to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer wort to the fermenting bucket, making sure to avoid transferring any heavy sediment (trub).
- Take an Original Gravity reading.
Pitch Yeast
- Before pitching yeast, add enough clean tap water to bring your wort to approximately 5 gallons. Also, thoroughly aerate the wort to promote yeast activity.
- Sprinkle yeast over the top of the wort and thoroughly stir with a sanitized spoon or paddle.
- Seal the fermenting bucket with a lid containing an airlock.
- Place the fermenting bucket in a dark, temperature controlled room (approx. 53-59 degrees F)
Fermentation
- The wort will begin to ferment within 48 hours.
- Allow primary fermentation to continue for 10-14 days.
- Transfer beer into a clean glass carboy for secondary fermentation.
- Lower the temperature of the beer 1-3 degrees F per day until it reaches a final temperature of 35-42 degrees F. This process is called "lagering".
- If you do not have the means to lager your beer it is acceptable to ferment as a ale. This is because the yeast being used is versatile and works well in a wide range of temperatures. When fermenting as an ale, try to keep the temperature around 64 degrees F and ferment in a primary for one week, then transfer to a carboy and ferment for another two weeks.
- Take a Final Gravity reading
Bottling
- Before bottling, dissolve priming sugar in 2 cups of water by boiling for 5 minutes.
- Cool priming solution and pour it into a clean bottling bucket.
- Transfer beer from the fermenting bucket to the bottling bucket.
- Stir gently to mix the priming solution.
- Attach tubing to the spigot of the bottling bucket and attach the bottle filling wand to the opposite end of the tubing.
- Fill bottles within one inch from the top of the bottle, leaving head space for carbonation gasses.
- Cap bottles using a capper.
- Move bottles to a dark area and leave them to condition at room temperature for 2 weeks. This will refine the color and taste of your beer as well as create carbonation.
Chill beer to 39-45 degrees F and enjoy.